“We used to say that those amongst us with the most sins are those who spend their time talking about the sins of others.”

Imam Sufyaan ath-Thawri رحمه الله said:

“Keep yourself busy in remembering your faults, so that you have no time left to remember the faults of others.”

Ibn Taimiyah said:

“Some people have the disease of criticizing all the time. They forget the good about others and only mention their faults. They are like flies that avoid the good and pure places and land on the bad and wounds. This is because of the evil within the self and the spoiled nature.”

Abu Hatim said:

“Probing and seeking the faults of others is from the branches of hypocrisy just like thinking good of others is from the branches of faith. The intelligent one always has a good opinion of his brothers, and keeps his grief and sadness to himself. As for the ignorant one, he has evil opinion of his brothers and does not think about his crimes and distress.” [Siyar A’lam an-Nubala]

Imam Ash-Shafi’e رحمه الله said:

”Let not your tongue mention the shame of another, for you yourself are covered in shame, and all men have tongues. If your eye falls upon the sin of your brother, shield them and say ‘O my eye all men have eyes‘.”

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (RA), that the Prophet ﺻﻠﯽ الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰ ﻋﻠﯿﮧ ﻭﺍٓﻟﮧ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ said: Whoever shields [or hides the misdeeds of] a Muslim, Allah will shield him in this world and the Hereafter."

[Sahih Muslim, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah & Musnad Ahmad]

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "He who sees something which should be kept hidden and conceals it will be like the one who has brought to life a girl buried alive (a pre-Islamic practice). - Sunan of Abu-Dawud, Hadith 2292

Narrated Abu Barzah al-Aslami رضي الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰ عنه : The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: O community of people who believed by their tongue and belief did not enter their hearts, do not back-bite Muslims, and do not search for their faults, for if anyone searches for their faults, Allah will search for his fault, and if Allah searches for the fault of anyone, He disgraces him in his own house. -Sunan of Abu Dawud, Number 2283 (Tirmidhi also reported a similar Hadith)

Ibn 'Abbas رضي الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰ عنه said on the verse of the Qur'an, "Nor defame one another" (49:11), "Do not spend your time finding fault with one another." (Imam Bukhari's Book of Manners #330)

Imam Ibn Al-Mubarak رحمه الله said:

“Whenever a man would see something from his brother that he dislikes, he would give him orders in private and forbid him in private. So, he would be rewarded for screening his brother and also rewarded for forbidding evil. As for today, whenever a man sees what he dislikes, he angers his brother and unveils his screen.” [Raudatul ‘Uqala, p. 197]

We should not be like the kuffar who dig up faults of their opponents.

We should not behave like the tabloid reporters!

This type of behaviour is very detrimental to the Muslim unity yet it is very rife-because we hate one another.-because we have different aqeeda or belong to different Jamaat.

-we want to show that we are better than others.

Exceptions:

If the act committed was against the rights of a person, or poses a threat or harm to others or was committed openly with no shame, then there is no concealment and the action should be dealt with appropriately.

Sunday, January 24, 2016

The Islamic Hadith narrations emphasize positive thinking. Even though many Muslims today choose to think negatively about the world and its inhabitants, Islam actually encourages the opposite. Reflect on these five Hadiths and begin your journey of positive change now:

Hadith #1: Think Win/Win

Amazing is the affair of the believer. Definitely, all of his life is good and this is not for anybody except the believer. If something of good happens to him, he is grateful and that is good for him. If something harmful befalls him, he is patient and that is good for him. (Saheeh Muslim #2999)

This Hadith teaches us to approach all of life positively. The good times are opportunities for gratitude, and the difficult times are tests of patience. Both situations are good for us, so no matter what happens in our lives, there is always a way to benefit from it.

Hadith #2: Think Positive About Allah

I am as My servant thinks of Me. I am with him when he remembers Me. If he mentions Me within himself, I mention him within Myself. If he mentions Me in an assembly, I mention him in a better assembly. If he comes near to Me a handspan, I come near to him the distance of a cubit. If he comes near to Me the distance of a cubit, I come near to him the distance of two outspread arms. If he comes to Me walking, I come to him running. (Sahih Al-Bukhari #6856 and Sahih Muslim #4832)

In this important Hadith Al-Qudsi, Allah Himself informs us of the importance of positive thinking about Him. We must maintain good thoughts about our Creator and not allow the devil to place evil thoughts in our minds. The more positively we think about Allah, the more benefits we will gain from this in this world and the next.

Hadith #3: Avoid negative thoughts

Beware of suspicion, as suspicion is the falsest talk, and do not spy upon each other, and do not listen to the evil talk of the people about others’ affairs, and do not have enmity with one another, but be brothers. And none should ask for the hand of a girl who is already engaged to his (Muslim) brother, but one should wait till the first suitor marries her or leaves her. (Saheeh Bukhari #5970)

Negative thinking about our fellow Muslims is a root cause of enmity, jealousy, and disunity. This Hadith prohibits all causes of negative thinking, whether it be unfounded suspicion, backbiting, or spying. All these sins must be avoided.

Hadith #4: Make things easy

“Make things easy for the people and do not make things difficult for them.” (Saheeh Bukhari #6125)

This simple short advice was aimed primarily at those doing Dawah and teaching Islam. The principle forms one of the primary foundations of Shariah Law i.e. the principle of ease. There are multiple narrations that emphasize this same point. Islam was meant to make life easier for people. Make sure the way you call and guide people to Islam emphasizes the positives and attracts people towards the beauty of Islam.

Hadith #5: Positive Thinking at time of death

Whoever loves the meeting with Allah, Allah too, loves the meeting with him; and whoever hates the meeting with Allah, Allah too, hates the meeting with him. (Saheeh Bukhari #6508)

Positive thinking is so important in Islam, that it is emphasized at the time of death. Muslims should not only think good about their Creator, they should think best of Him. This is especially important at the time of death, that believers be encouraged to focus on Allah’s Mercy and Forgiveness. In doing so, they leave this world in a positive state of mind. Not only should we live positive lives, but we should die in a positive state of mind too.

Friday, January 22, 2016

‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab said (advising Sa’d Ibn Abee Waqqaas, who was the leader of an army):

“I urge you and the troops who are with you to fear Allah in all circumstances, for fear of Allah is the best means of preparation to face the enemy and the best plan at times of war. I command you and those who are with you to be more cautious of sin than of your enemy, for the sins of an army are more alarming for them than their enemy. And the Muslims are only granted divine help because of their enemy’s disobedience towards Allah.”

[Al-Faarooq ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab, by Muhammad Rasheed Rida, p.119]

This can equally apply to other areas of life and not just for fighters.

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Muraqabah is knowing that Allah is watching over us. Allah, subhanahu wa ta'ala, says, "And know that Allah knows what is in your minds, so fear Him." [2:235] "And Allah is Ever a Watcher over all things." [33:52] "And He is with you wherever you may be." [57:4] There are many other similar verses stating the same concept.

In the hadith of Jibreel, when he asked the Prophet (s) about ihsan (goodness and excellence), the Prophet (s) replied, "Ihsan is to worship Allah as if you see Him, but since we do not see Him we should know that He sees us at all times." (Bukhari and Muslim) The meaning of this hadith is the definition of muraqabah. Namely, the endurance of the servant's knowledge and his conviction and certainty that Allah is watching over his internal and external affairs. To have this knowledge and certainty at all times is called muraqabah. It is the fruit of the servant's knowledge that Allah is his Watcher, Over-seeing him, Hearing his utterances, and Observing all of his deeds at all times.Al-Junaid said:

The one firm in muraqabah fears the waste of even a moment for other than his Lord." Dhun-Nun said: "The sign of muraqabah is to favor what Allah has sent down (of the revelation), to glorify what Allah has glorified, and to despise what Allah has despised.

Ibrahim Al-Khawass said:

Muraqabah is the sincerity of both the internal and external to Allah.

It has been said that"

The best that man may cling to on this road to Allah is muhasabah(reckoning of the self), muraqabah, and governing his conduct with knowledge.

The people of true knowledge have unanimously agreed that having muraqabah for Allah in one's hidden thoughts is a means for it to manifest in the deeds and the behavior externally. So, whoever has muraqabah for Allah in secret and internally, Allah will preserve him in his actions and behavior, both internally and externally.One of the finest definitions for muraqabah is the following: muraqabah of Allah is being on the way to Him at all times with over-whelming glorification, inciting nearness and urging joy. The overwhelming glorification is to have the heart filled with glorification of Allah. Such a state makes the servant unconcerned with glorifying others or paying attention to others beside Allah. A servant should always have this state, especially when he is remembering Allah. To be with Allah provides one with intimacy and love. If these are not associated with glorification, they may take one outside of the limits of servitude. Any love that is not associated with glorification of the Beloved One is a reason to distance him away from the Beloved and lose His respect.The overwhelming glorification includes five components: walking towards Allah, constantly walking towards Him, presence within the heart for Him, glorification of Him, and being overwhelmed by His glorification to be concerned with others. The inciting nearness is the closeness to Allah that incites the servant to have these five components. This closeness makes him glorify Allah in a manner that he pays no attention to himself or others. The closer the servant becomes to Allah, the more he glorifies Him and the less mindful he will be for others. The urging joy is happiness and glorification. It is the delight one finds in this nearness. There is nothing in this world comparable in any way to the joy and happiness of the heart and the delight of the eye with Allah and His closeness. This is one of the states in Paradise. A knowledgeable person said,

There are times when I would say that if the people of Paradise can be in a state like this, they are indeed living a good life.

This joy, no doubt, urges him to be constant in walking to Allah and doing his best to seek Allah's Pleasure. If one didn't achieve this joy or even a portion of it, then one should doubt their faith and deeds. Faith has grace and sweetness. If one has not tasted it, then one should go back and achieve the true faith and its sweetness.The Prophet (s) mentioned the sweetness of faith in many ahadith, including:

...tasted the taste of faith, those who take Allah as their Lord, Islam as their religion and Muhammad as a Messenger. (Muslim and Ahmad)

He also said:

Whoever possesses the following three qualities attains the sweetness of faith: To have Allah and His Messenger dearer to him than anything else, to love a person only for the sake of Allah, and to hate to return to kufr after Allah has rescued him from it like he hates to be thrown into fire." (Bukhari and Muslim)

I heard Sheikhul-Islam saying:

If you don't find sweetness and joy in the deed you perform, then doubt its sincerity, for Allah is Shakur (Most Appreciative and Rewarding).

He meant that Allah will certainly reward His servant for his deeds in this world as long as the servant is delighted and happy with his deeds. But if he doesn't find the delight and the joy in his heart, then his deed is imperfect, defective.This imperfection and defectiveness is the reward of what the servant receives for his deeds. Deeds have consequences and effects that return to the servant that performed them, affecting his life and all of his affairs. Prayer (salah), for example, prevents the servant from unlawful and evil deeds. It also refines his morals and brings him up in the best manner that Allah loves.Fasting (Siyam) strengthens his will and enlightens self-reproach and insight, so the person may see the straight path and become among the righteous. Such are all the good and righteous deeds, they have a reward that affords prosperity in all of man's affairs. As a result, family life and the society become joyful and prosperous. The evil deeds have their consequences as well. Allah said, "For those who have done good is best (reward)." [10:26] and "The evil was the end of those who did evil."[30:10]The opposition in people is of three kinds. Only those that Allah protects are free from these. The first kind is the opposition to His Names and Attributes by presenting false and unclear matters. These falsities are negated because of what Allah and His Messenger have ascribed for Him. These people have ascribed to Allah what He negated for Himself. By doing so, they became loyal to His enemies and enemies to His Allies. They changed the words from the correct status and have abandoned, as a result, a great part of what was sent to them.They are those that have divided their religion into differing sects with each group rejoicing in its belief. The only thing that protects from this is the pure submission to the wahy (Divine revelation). When the heart submits to the wahy (revelation), it will witness its soundness, realize intellectually and in the light of fitrah (sound nature) that it is the truth. Such a submissive person submits by way of hearing, the mind, and the natural disposition of humankind - fitrah. This is the most perfect faith.The second type of person is the one who is in opposition to His Message and Command. These people can vary slightly and can be further categorized. Some may oppose with their opinions and analogies. They make lawful what Allah has made unlawful, and make unlawful what Allah has made lawful. They void what Allah has made obligatory and make obligatory what Allah has voided. Another type amongst these people are those that oppose the facts of faith and the Message with their visions, personal experiences, and false devilish inspirations. These compose a religion that Allah has not allowed, invalidate the religion that Allah sent to His Messenger, and oppose the facts of faith using the devil's tricks. These people have religions to worship other than Allah's religion and place these before Allah's religion. Because of their analogies, opinions and personal experiences, the entire world could have been ruined and the pillars of the religion destroyed. But Allah has preserved this religion and promised to protect those that will preserve and protect it from the plots of these plotters.Another group of those in opposition are those that oppose the Law of Allah with their unjust rules. They put their rules before the rules of Allah and His Messenger (s). Thus they suspend Allah's Law, justice and His hudood (legislated punishments).The third type of opposition is of those who oppose Allah's actions, decrees and ordinances. This opposition comes primarily from ignorant people. It has many forms, some are clear and some are not. This kind of opposition exists within many souls. If we were to contemplate our utterances, actions and desires, we would see this clearly. Most of us have some kind of opposition to Allah's decree and His portioning of livelihood.The ones that are free of this type of opposition are those that know Allah with a true knowledge and accept Him with complete satisfaction.-From: The Steps of the Followers (Madaarij as Saalikeen), by Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya

'Allama Tibi رحمه الله explains that the one who considers himself lower than his actual status and considers others to be superior is elevated by Allah سبحانه و تعالى and also becomes elevated among people. (Mirqat al-Mafatih, 8:844)

The branches with the sweetest and most valuable fruit are the ones hanging closest to the ground; attaining humility is the means by which man is deemed worthy in front of Allah.

Humility is a gift from Allah that is to be sought and begged for, just as we implore Allah for such blessings as houses or wives. Man is deprived of a great blessing if he is deprived of humbleness.

Our nafs tries its best to instill arrogance in us, which ultimately leads to our destruction. Our best weapon against our nafs is to remind ourselves of our origins.

Allah created clay to be intrinsically humble, and created man from that clay so man would also be humble because He loves humility.

Man needs to purge his heart of pride and arrogance and acquire a humble posture before he faces Allah on the Day of Judgment.

May Allah help us all in training our nafs so that we become humble and root out arrogance from our character. آمين يا رب العالمين